Maneuvering mechanism for reversible internal combustion engines



1967 E. G. F. BRELEN MANEUVERING MECHANISM FOR REVERSIBLE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 20, 1966 FIG.1

Eric Geo B3 E. F. BRELEN 3,359,720

MANEUVERING HANISM FOR REVERSIBLE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 26, 1967 Filed May 20, 1966 FIG. 2 I l 4 A g I \O?) m 12 Z l I %II/I//III/II/// ii i 2 a "'IIIIIIIIIII INVENTOR Erl'c Georg Fric/olf Breln Dec. 26, 1967 E. G. F. BRELEN 3,359,720

MANEUVERING MECHANISM FOR REVERSIBLE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed May 20, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 3

. INVENTOR. I Eric. Georg Fridoh Brelen BY PM J L2; 1

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De 26, 1967 E G. F. BRELEN 33,59,720

MANEUVERING MECHANISM FOR REVERSIBLE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed May 20, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 4

v INVENTOR. Eric. Georg Fr/do/F lireln BY I ,JVQI

'lz rnegs United States Patent F 3,359,720 MANEUVERING MECHANISM FOR REVERSIBLE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Eric Georg Fridolf Breln, Goteborg, Sweden, assignor to Aktiebolaget Gotaverken, Goteborg, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Filed May 20, 1966, Ser. No. 551,716 Claims priority, application Sweden, June 9, 1965, 7,541/65 7 Claims. (Cl. 6016) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pressure medium impulse operated maneuvering mechanism for an internal combustion engine includes a first circuit to start, and if necessary to reverse the engine, as well as a second circuit for determining the fuel supply. A maneuvering shaft in this mechanism is adapted to be turned in relation to the magnitude of the fuel supply and has a disc fixed thereon, which is provided with two notches in its periphery. A catching memher in the first (reversing) circuit is adapted to co-operate with the first notch, and a blocking member in the second circuit is adapted to co-operate with the second notch, said catching member and said blocking member each containing an axially displaceable slide adapted to be shifted in dependence of the impulses in said circuits.

The present invention refers to a mechanism for maneuvering internal combustion engines adapted to be started and reversed by means of compressed air.

Various means for the remote control of reversible diesel engines by means of pressure medium impulses are known and have lately been used extensively as they have essential advantages when compared to the old system involving the use of an engine room telegraph. In an automated remote control system the governing of the engine must be reduced to a minimum of operations and preferably the setting of the desired operation conditions of the engine, such as its number of revolutions and its direction of rotation, are governed by means of a-single maneuvering handle similar to that of the old engine room telegraph. The manner of bringing about these interconnected maneuvering operations depends of course to a large extent on the design of the engine and of the governing members used therewith. Some steps are, however, always at hand and are interrelated:

(a) Putting the reversing mechanism into position for reversing (if reversing is to be done);

(b) Starting the engine (connection of starting members and admittance of starting air);

(c) Transferring the engine to operation on fuel oil (when the engine has reached a certain speed) and the disconnection of starting members and the shutting off of the starting air.

These steps must be taken in a certain order, and the transfer from one step to the next must not occur until the condition aimed at by the preceding step has been attained.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple remote control mechanism by means of which the required governing impulses will always be effected in the proper order.

A further object of the invention is to include means to ensure that the fuel supply to the engine will only take place after a suitable delay ensuring a proper starting in the correct direction by means of the starting air.

Another inventive object is the provision of means for interrupting the pressure medium supply to the remote control and for directly influencing the vital parts of the Patented Dec. 26, 1967 maneuvering mechanism for the governing of the engine in cases of emergency.

Other objects of the invention will be evident from the explanation given below.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 shows schematically the essential components of a reversing mechanism according to the invention as utilized with a ships reversible engine.

FIGURE 2 shows on a larger scale a section through a part which in the following will be called the maneuvering box.

FIGURE 3 is a section along line IIIIII in FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 4 shows a section along line IV--IV in FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 1 is schematic and the parts contained therein have been arranged in such a manner that the working thereof may be better understood. The engine is intended to be governed either from a maneuvering post arranged on the ships bridge (BC) or from the engine room (ERC). The latter can be resorted to in cases of emergency, when the ship is brought into or out of harbor, when repeated maneuvers are required, or during overhaul work when the ship is in harbor.

All necessary means for controlling and blocking the reversing and the fuel supply members are located in a maneuvering box, MB which, in FIG. 1, is divided by dash dotted lines and contains all necessary means for controlling and blocking the reversing and fuel supply members. This maneuvering box contains a maneuvering shaft 1 on which is fixed a disc 2. This disc is adapted to be blocked by a member 3, co-operating with the fuel supply, as well as by a catching member 4, which is adapted to co-operate with the reversing mechanism. This disc 2 is provided with two notches 2a and 2b, respec tively, arranged in such a manner that they, when the maneuvering shaft 1 is in a certain position only, will correspond with the blocking member 3 and the reversing catch 4, respectively. The part 4 contains a slide 5 having two recesses 6 and 7, spaced by an intermediate portion 8. Each recess and the portion has a breadth somewhat exceeding the thickness of the disc 2 and they will during displacement of the slide one after the other be brought into co-operation with the disc. Hereafter position I will be utilized to indicate that recess 6 is opposite to disc 2, position II implies that the intermediate portion 8 has been pushed into the recess 2b of the disc, and position III is used when the disc corresponds with the recess 7.' A yoke 9 is pivoted to one end of slide '5. One arm, 9a, of said yoke is connected to the rod of a piston 10 belonging to a reversing cylinder 11. The piston 10 has a stroke, which corresponds to a displacement of a slide 5 from position I to position II or from position III to position II. Hereby the slide is moved from free positionrecesses 7 or 6, respectively, corresponding with the disc 2-to blocked positionthe intermediate body 8 corresponding with the recess- 2b in the disc. The other arm 9b of the yoke 9 is connected to a part of the reversing mechanism which upon completed reversing displaces the slide from position 11 to position I or position III, respectively, in such a manner that the blocking of disc 2 will be released. During the displacements of the slide 5 any turning of yoke 9 will always occur with one end of said arms as a fixed pivot. The rod of piston 10 continues through reversing cylinder 11 and extends through the end thereof opposite 9a and is connected to a lever 12 by means of which a manual setting of the direction of the rotation of the engine may be effected.

The blocking member 3 for the fuel supply (FIGURES '1 and 4) contains a cylinder 13 in which a differential piston 14 is displaceable. The disc 2 is arranged to cooperate with this piston, which to that end is provided with a recess a, which is one end position of the piston 14 permits a turning of the disc but in the opposite position of the piston 14 will block movements thereof.

The piston 14 is provided with two plungers 14a and 14b, which are connected by means of a piston rod 15, the plunger 14b having a smaller diameter than the other plunger. When the cylinder is relieved of air pressure a spring 3a will force the piston to the end position in which recess 15a in the piston rod will correspond with the disc 2.

A maneuvering lever 16 is connected to the maneuvering shaft 1 in an angularly fixed position, which makes it possible to turn the maneuvering shaft 1 manually in such a manner that it directly will act as a start or fuel control member. In one end position said lever may be swung axially in relation to the shaft and will then influence a three-way valve 17. The maneuvering lever 16- is further designed in such a manner that it can be locked in arbitrary position in relation to a notched segment 16a or the like. The maneuvering shaft 1 may be directly connected to the shaft determining the setting of the fuel pumps of the engine (not shown).

On shaft 1 a link 18 is fitted which by way of an adjustable member 19 co-operates with a hydraulic speed governor 20.

The starting air distributor of the engine is denoted by 21. The cams of said distributor will for reversing operation be axially displaced by means of a link 21a, operated by piston 10 in cylinder 11. For a multi-cylinder engine a number of such cams and corresponding valves are of course called for. A reversing mechanism 22 is by Way of links 23 adapted to transfer the result of the reversing movement to arm 9b of yoke 9.

Further details will be evident from the description below where the operation is described in connection with a' large two-stroke diesel engine, where starting and reversing aswell as the transfer of the maneuvering impulses from a remote control stand is brought about by compressed air.

Automatic remote control From the'starting air container 24 air at comparatively high pressure is conducted to a master valve 25 as well as through a filter 26a to a reducing valve 26b. From this, air at reduced pressure will be led to a selector valve 28 by means of which the manner of operation-remote control or manual operation-is determined. From filter 26a air at reduced pressure is by way of conduit. 27 also led to pilot valve 29 for operation of the starting slide 30.

If remote control is chosen, air from the selector valve reaches a set of valves, later to be described, governed by the lever BC of the bridge control stand. From the set of valves a first pressure medium circuit reaches the members controlling the start and the reversing of the engine and a second circuit branches off and reaches the fuel supply governing members.

From valve 28 air is conducted to the small diameter plunger 14b of the differential piston 14 and also to a valve 31. Air is also by way of conduit 32 led to two three-way valves 33 and 34, respectively, which are intended to determine operation of the engine AHEAD or ASTERN, respectively. Air furthermore reaches a pressure regulator 35, influencing the fuel supply. Valves 33 and 34 as well as pressure regulators 35are operated by means of an intermediate disc-like member 70, which is worked by means of a maneuvering handle 71 which is the main part of the remote control stand on the ships bridge (BC).

If for instance valve 33 for AHEAD is operated, air by way of pipe 36 is conducted to a shuttle valve 37, which supplies air to a member 38 sensitive to the initial movements of the engine. This member contains a piston 39, which when subjected to air pressure depresses a contact member 40 to coeoperate witha rotating part 41- in the engine. As soon as the engine, and consequently also shaft 41, begins to rotate contact member 40 will follow the direction of rotation, whereby it will operate either of valves 42 and 43, respectively (say valve 42). From conduit 36 air is further distributed to said valve 42 and to one end of the reversing cylinder 11. If the engine has not begun to rotate valve 42 remains closed. If piston 10 already is in a position for AHEAD, no movement of piston 10 will occur and air may thus pass through the outlet 11 at the middle portion of cylinder 11. From this it is conducted by way of pipe 43 to a second shuttle valve 4-4. This is mechanically actuated from a cam 45 arranged on the maneuvering shaft 1 to deaerate the suc ceeding parts of the system when the maneuver is completed.

In the indicated position of the shuttle, air may pass to the pilot valve 29, which is opened in such a manner that air from conduit 27 may open the starting slide 30. This means that high pressure air from the starting air receiver 24 directly reaches the starting valve 46, which however, remains closed. Simultaneously, air is by way of conduit 57 led to a cylinder 58, which, in a manner known per se, operates a locking member in the reversing mechanism 22 mounted upon a cam shaft 59. This cam shaf is driven from the crank shaft of the engine (not shown) by means of a chain or the like and the reversing mechanism includes a lost motion coupling which makes possible an adjustment of the angular position of the cams 61. These operate the fuel pumps 62, one for each engine cylinder, which feed the fuel oil to injector 63 mounted in the cylinder head. The pumps are of the known type, where the plunger is provided with an oblique recess in its side wall for cooperation with a pressure relief outlet. A turning of the plunger implies a change of the eifective stroke of the fuel pump. This turning is brought about by a rod 64, which is a direct elongation of maneuvering shaft 1 or is connected thereto by means of suitable gear- The speed governor 2i) and the starting air distributor 21 are mounted on a shaft 65, which also is driven by the crank shaft, but in a fixed relation thereto. This shaft may be the same as shaft 41.

From pipe 47, between the starting slide 30 and the starting valve 46, a pipe 48 leads to valve 49 which will be operated by the cams of starting air distributor 21 in positions suitable for the direction of rotation. (In multi cylinder engines there are starting air valves at each working cylinder which will of course be opened in their proper order.) As soon as the crank shaft of the engine starts to rotate the contact member 40 is displaced in the corresponding direction and opens either of valves 42 or 43 in such a manner that air is led to a shuttle valve 50 and from there on to a reducing valve 51. This lat er may be adjusted in such a manner that valve 31 will be opened after a certain delay, which is so determined that the engine in the meantime has reached a certain number of revolutions. Hereby a gu'aranteeis obtained that the engine has a sufficient momentum to cover the interval between the driving on air and on fuel oil, respectively. Valve '31 is connected to the large diameter plunger of the differential piston 14. When air is supplied thereto the piston will be displaced to the right whereby recess 15a on the piston rod will correspond with 'disc 2 to release the latter.

The fuel supply can now begin. Pressure regulator 35, operated by the maneuvering handle at BC, permits a pressure impulse to pass by way of pipe 52 to the cylinder 53. This impulse is proportional to the position of the maneuvering lever 16 and corresponds to a certain number of revolutions. Cylinder 53 is mounted upon and co-operates with the hydraulic speed governor 20 for operating link 18.

If the engine is to be reversed, valve 34 will instead be influenced by the maneuvering handle and air reaches shuttle valve 37 from the opposite side as well as valve 43. After completed reversing, air also reaches shuttle valve 50. By way of pipe 54, air is further led to the other side of the cylinder 11, whereby piston 10 tends to move to the right (according to the drawing). This can, however, only take place if the disc 2 on shaft 1 is brought in such a positionfuel supply completely out ffthat the notches of the disc 2a, 2b correspond to the position of slide 5 and differential piston 14. During a displacement of piston the outer end of arm 9b of the yoke 9 will serve as a fixed pivot center. The stroke of piston 10 will correspond to a displacement of slide 5 from one position to the next, that is from free position to locked position. When the displacement of piston 10 has been completed, air from pipe 54 may pass through an outlet at the intermediate portion of the cylinder 10 to open valve 29, in such a manner that on the one hand, starting valve 30 will open and on the other hand, cylinder 58 is caused to operate the reversing mechanism at cam shaft 59. The reversing movement of this shaft is, as above described, transferred by a link 23 to arm 92) of the yoke, whereby slide 5 will be displaced one position further to the right (according to the drawing) and the blocking of disc 2 is released. Thereafter, fuel supply may be brought about in the same manner as above described for operation AHEAD.

Manual operation For manual operation of the engine, valve 28 is brought to a position for engine room operation, whereby air will reach valve 17. This is opened by handle 16 fitted to the maneuvering shaft 1 due to a slight axial swinging movement. Valve 17 is so located that it may only be operated in one end position of the leverstop po s-ition-that is when the two notches 2a, 2b of the disc correspond with slide 5 and differential piston 14. When valve 17 is opened, air is conducted to shuttle valve 44 in such a manner that the shuttle 60 thereof will be displaced and the air can pass the intermediate outlet of valve 44 to open valve 29, whereupon the engine is started as above described.

The direction of rotation of the engine is determined by a lever 12 fitted to piston 10. The levers 12 and 16 must not be directly fitted on the corresponding members 10 and 1, respectively, but can of course be operated by means of links from a place outside the maneuvering box.

What I claim is:

1. In a pressure medium impulse operated maneuvering mechanism for an internal combustion engine including a first circuit to start and, when necessary, reverse the engine as well as a second circuit for determining the fuel supply thereto a maneuvering shaft adapted to be turned in relation to the magnitude of the fuel supply a disc fixed on said shaft having first and second notches in its periphery a catching member in the first (reversing) circuit adapted to cooperate with the first notch in the disc and containing an axially displaceable slide having two recesses spaced by an intermediate portion and a blocking member in the second (fuel supply determining) circuit adapted to cooperate with the second notch in the disc and containing an axially displaceable slide having one recess.

2. A maneuvering mechanism according to claim 1, in which the second circuit includes a valve operated by the initial turning of the engine and adapted to release an impulse to the blocking member after a certain delay.

6 3. A maneuvering mechanism according to claim 1, in which the middle part of a yoke is pivotally connected to one end of the slide in the catching member a pressure medium operated cylinder in the first circuit arranged parallel to the catching member and having a piston connected to one end of the yoke and links to connect the other end of the yoke to a reversing mechanism mounted on the engine. 4. A maneuvering mechanism according to claim 1, in which the middle part of a yoke is pivotally connected to one end of the slide in the catching member, said maneuvering mechanism further including a pressure medium operated cylinder in the first circuit arranged parallel to the catching member and having a piston connected to one end of the yoke links connecting said end of the yoke to a starting air distributor of the engine, and

links connecting the other end of the yoke to a reversing mechanism mounted on the engine.

5. A maneuvering mechanism according to claim 1, in which the slide in the blocking member is designed as a differential piston with two plungers acted upon by impulses in the second circuit and also by a spring adapted to bring the recess in the slide into position for cooperation with the disc when the cylinder is relieved of pressure.

6. In a pressure medium impulse operated maneuvering mechanism for an internal combustion engine including a first circuit to start and, when necessary, reverse the engine as well as a second circuit for determining the fuel supply thereto a maneuvering shaft adapted to be turned in relation to the magnitude of the fuel supply a disc fixed on said shaft having first and second notches in its periphery a catching member in the first (reversing) circuit adapted to cooperate with the first notch in the disc and containing an axially displaceable slide having two recesses spaced by an intermediate portion a yoke pivotally connected to one end of the slide in the catching member a pressure medium operated cylinder in the first circuit arranged parallel to the catching member and having a piston connected to one end of the yoke links connecting that end of the yoke to a starting air distributor of the engine links connecting the other end of the yoke to a reversing mechanism mounted on the engine a blocking member in the second (fuel supply determining) circuit cooperating with the second notch in the disc and containing an axially displaceable slide having one recess a valve in said second circuit adapted to release an impulse to the blocking member after a certain delay and means operating said valve as a result of the initial turning of the engine.

7'. A maneuvering mechanism according to claim 6, containing a selector valve for interrupting the pressure medium flow to the first and the second circuits, respectively, and means for governing the engine by directly operating the catching member and the maneuvering shaft, respectively.

No references cited.

EDGAR W. GEOGHEGAN, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A PRESSURE MEDIUM IMPULSE OPERATED MANEUVERING MECHANISM FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE INCLUDING A FIRST CIRCUIT TO START AND, WHEN NECESSARY, REVERSE THE ENGINE AS WELL AS A SECOND CIRCUIT FOR DETERMINING THE FUEL SUPPLY THERETO A MANEUVERING SHAFT ADAPTED TO BE TURNED IN RELATION TO THE MAGNITUDE OF THE FUEL SUPPLY A DISC FIXED ON SAID SHAFT HAVING FIRST AND SECOND NOTCHES IN ITS PERIPHERY 